Flexibility key to an OC degree

RN to BSN on your time.
And the freedom to get credit for the knowledge you already possess.
For a working nurse trying to get their BSN, it’s a dream come true.
Those are just two of the selling points at the Oklahoma Christian University’s School of Nursing, according to Jennifer Gray, PhD, RN, FAAN associate dean.
“It allows students to work at their own pace,” Gray said.
Regular shifts, family – a life outside of work – all come into play for today’s nurses seeking to advance their degrees.
That’s why OC Nursing tailors coursework to the individual’s timeframe.
“It’s all online,” Gray said. “I love the flexibility of it. My experience has been that nurses in practice have a lot of expertise that we don’t give them credit for in the education setting. One of the things I like about this program is it’s designed to let nurses build on their expertise and move through quickly.”
CREDIT FOR KNOWLEDGE
Pre-assessments allow students with the proper knowledge base to test out of certain classes.
Nine competencies are targeted, some allowing pre assessments to evaluate knowledge.
“They can take the pre-assessment and if they score 85 percent or higher they don’t have to do anything related to that competency,” Gray said. “They get credit and their transcript will have (the corresponding) courses and grades.
Competency-based education (CBE) means a registered nurse’s training, education and work experience allow them to earn college credits for what they already know. Skip class for skills mastered on the job by testing out of that segment and earning college credit.
You can start an online, four-month subscription to the course material and test out of as many classes as possible for around $4,000.
Gray said the next cohort is forming now with an expected March 2 kickoff. After that another will begin in May with no caps on enrollment.
“We adjust the number of faculty members based on the number of students,” Gray said. “A faculty mentor is assigned to each individual student and stays with them throughout the program monitoring progress, evaluating and really just being a coach right there with them all the way through the program.
Students are allowed to work at their own pace and pay a flat rate for each term. Gray said students range from taking the full three terms to finishing in just one.
“I think most nurses if they have family or any other responsibility it’s probably going to be three terms,” she said.
Oklahoma Christian’s RN-to-BSN perfectly prepares students for graduate school. Courses will require writing scholarly papers and preparing professional presentations to fully equip you to pursue a master’s degree.
Many schools offer BSNs using a pass/fail grading system, OC students earn grades and graduate with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) and a full transcript. Graduate schools require a GPA for admittance and Oklahoma Christian makes sure students graduate with all they need to advance their careers even further. For more information vistit: https://www.oc.edu/academics/graduate-programs/rn-to-bsn